High speed oil spill response lighter

ABSTRACT

An oil spill response lighter comprising a SWATH vessel or other high speed hull form includes onboard oil storage for transfer from recovery vessels to large capacity storage tanks. The lighter includes an oil loading and unloading conduit supported on a pivotable, extensible support arm mounted on the main hull. A solid waste or debris receptacle is mounted on the deck of the main hull for receiving and unloading debris by an onboard boom type crane. The lighter improves the rate of recovery of marine oil spills by rapid transfer of the contents of limited capacity recovery vessels to large capacity storage tanks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to a high speed oil spill response vesseladapted to transfer recovered oil or similar liquids from a recovery orskimmer vessel to a storage vessel or shore based facility to minimizethe delay in oil spill recovery operations resulting from low storagecapacity recovery vessels.

2. Background

The continued development of equipment and facilities for the recoveryof crude oil and similar liquids from marine oil spills has brought therealization that one factor which delays the recovery operations is thelimited storage capacity of most types of available oil skimming orrecovery vessels. The skimming and recovery vessels which have proven tobe most attractive for use in recovery of oil in remote locations arethose which may be rapidly transported by air or surface means to thesite of the spill. Such recovery vessels are necessarily limited intheir oil storage capacity since, once the recovery vessel's storagetanks are full, the recovery vessel must be taken out of service andtransit to a storage ship or shore based storage facility.

The cost of providing large capacity oil recovery and storage ships,such as described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 07/798,469, filedNov. 26, 1991, in the name of John L. Sullivan et al and assigned to theassignee of the present invention, makes it practical to base such shipsonly in areas where a high probability of a spill occurrence exists.Such ships are also limited to relatively deep water and open searecovery operations. In all events, since a ship of the type describedin the aforementioned patent application may also be used in regularliquids transport service, initial efforts to contain or recover spilledoil may also require the use of a number of small recovery andlightering vessels which are capable of working in shallow andrelatively inaccessible waters and are easily transportable to the siteof the spill until the vessel of opportunity has discharged its load andtransited to the site of the spill.

Accordingly, there has developed an acute need for a type of vesselwhich is capable of repeated high speed transfer of recovered oil fromlimited capacity recovery or skimmer vessels to a storage vessel orshore based storage facility and return to the site of the spill to takeon another load of recovered oil. Such a vessel should alsoadvantageously include features such as fuel and water storage forreplenishing supplies of same on the skimmer vessels, the ability topick up and store debris and the ability to carry and facilitateexchange of skimmer crew. The present invention is directed to such atransfer vessel or lighter which has several unique features as will bedescribed further herein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a unique, high speed vessel particularlyadapted for use in transferring recovered oil or similar liquids fromopen sea oil recovery or skimmer vessels which have only limited storagecapacity.

In accordance with an important aspect of the present invention there isprovided a high speed liquid storage and transfer vessel for lighteringrecovered oil and similar liquids from oil recovery vessels or skimmersto a large storage capacity barge, ship or shore based facility, whichtransfer vessel includes substantially all of the desired featuresdescribed hereinabove including unique equipment and arrangementsthereof.

A preferred embodiment of the oil transfer lighter of the presentinvention is characterized by a high speed hull form such as a SWATH(Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) type vessel which includes substantialrecovered oil storage capacity, debris storage capacity, a uniqueflexible conduit support arm for liquid loading and unloading and otherfeatures required for the purpose of the vessel. Certain of the featuresof the present invention can be included on other hull forms such as aircushion/surface effect ships, catamaran, planing, deep V andsemisubmersible types.

Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above-describedfeatures and advantages of the present invention together with othersuperior aspects thereof upon reading the detailed description whichfollows in conjunction with the drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of an oil spill response lighter inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the vessel illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation of the vessel illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2;and

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of the pumping system for loading andoffloading the recovered oil.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In the description which follows, like parts are marked throughout thespecification and drawing with the same reference numerals,respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale.

Referring to drawing FIGS. 1 through 3, there is illustrated a uniquehigh speed oil spill transfer vessel in accordance with the presentinvention and generally designated by the numeral 10. The vessel 10 ischaracterized as a SWATH type having spaced apart submersible hulls 12and 14 which each have generally vertically extending fin or strutportions 16 which support an above-water main hull 18. Each of the hulls12 and 14 is fitted at its aft end with a suitable propulsion motor 20driving a screw propeller 22 which may be shrouded by a duct 24 toimprove propulsion efficiency. The hulls 12 and 14 together with theirrespective support struts 16 may be constructed in accordance withconventional marine engineering practices and, to facilitate airtransportability of the vessel 10, each of the struts 16 may beseparated from the main hull 18 at flanged connections 26. Otherportions of the vessel 10 may be removable to facilitate transport bysurface means or aircraft.

The main hull 18 is configured to have a forward portion 19 and an aftportion 21. A main deck 23 provides a work surface and supports awheelhouse 28 forward. The deck 23 also overlies suitable storage tanks32, 34 and 36 for potable water, recovered oil and diesel fuel, forexample, respectively. The tanks 32, 34 and 36 preferably extend thebreadth of the hull 18 so as to provide adequate capacity. A suitablereceptacle 37 is provided on the deck 23 for receiving and storingmaterial such as debris which may be collected during an oil recoveryoperation.

The vessel 10 includes unique liquid transfer means comprising atelescoping arm, generally designated by the numeral 38, which includestelescoping portions 39, 40 and 41 which may be extended and retractedby suitable means such as one or more hydraulic cylinders or the like,not shown. The arm 38 is mounted on a base portion 42 for pivotalmovement about a horizontal axis controlled by an actuator 43. The baseportion 42 is suitably mounted on a pedestal 45 for pivotal movement ofthe arm 38 over either side of the hull 18. The arm 38 supports aflexible conduit or hose 44 whose distal end 46 is fitted with asuitable coupling for connection to the oil recovery tank of a recoveryvessel 47, FIG. 3, and for connection to a suitable large-capacitystorage tank, not shown, for discharging oil from tank 34.Alternatively, of course, the lighter 10 could be discharging oil intotank means on vessel 47 if such vessel was a large-capacity storageship. The conduit 44 is connected to suitable pump means 50 disposed inan enclosure 52 on the deck 23, see FIG. 4 also. The arm 38 alsosupports fuel and water transfer conduits or hoses 49 and 53 in the samemanner as the hose 44 for transferring such liquids with respect to thetanks 36 and 32 by suitable pumps, shown in FIG. 4.

The vessel 10 further includes an onboard crane 60 including a boom 62which is pivotally connected to a base 64. The base 64 is mounted on apedestal 66 for pivotal movement with respect thereto so that the boom62 may be swung out over either side of the main hull 18 for generallifting purposes. The crane 60 is preferably mounted just aft of thewheelhouse 28 and may be mounted along the centerline of the hull 18 orto either port or starboard sides of the hull. In FIGS. 1 and 2, thecrane 60 is shown in a stowed position, as is the arm 38, which would bethe normal position for these devices during high speed transit of thevessel 10.

Power for the propulsion motors 20 as well as the arm 38, the crane 60and the pump 50 may be supplied by one or more diesel engines 70 shownmounted aft in an engine room 72, FIGS. 1 and 2. The engines 70 may beconfigured to drive suitable hydraulic pumps 73 which, in turn, drivethe propulsion motors 20 as well as a motor 51 for driving the main oiltransfer pump 50, FIG. 4. Alternatively, of course, the shipboard powermay be all electric or partially electric and, in this regard, one orboth of the engines 70 may also drive suitable electrical generatormeans, not shown. Still further, the propulsion motors 20 may also beself-contained internal combustion engines mounted in the respectivehulls 12 and 14 or mounted in the main hull 18 and driving thepropellers 22 through gear drive mechanisms or the like, not shown.

The vessel 10 may be constructed using conventional marine vesselfabrication materials and techniques and should be of a size andconfiguration as to be capable of transport by large cargo aircraft suchas U.S. Air Force C-130, C-141 or C-5 type. A typical configuration ofthe vessel 10 would have an overall length of 41 feet to 75 feet, adraft of 6 feet, maximum loaded, a speed of a least 20 knots in openwater with a full load and a range of 500 nautical miles. Capacities forrecovered oil should be approximately 300 barrels (12,600 gallons).Capacities for potable water and diesel fuel should be in the range of1,000 gallons and 2,000 gallons, respectively. Deck storage of debris inthe receptacle 36 should be in the range of about 10 cubic yards. Agangway 63 is shown stored on deck 23 and is movable by crane 60 into asuitable position to facilitate crew changes on the skimmers, forexample.

FIG. 4 illustrates one arrangement of a pump 50 for use with the loadingand discharge conduit 44. In the arrangement shown in FIG. 4 the pump 50is driven by motor 51 and the pump suction and discharge lines may bereversed through a suitable valve 55. In this way the pump 50 may beused for loading oil by way of the conduit 44 from the recovery orskimmer vessel 47 and then also used to discharge oil from the tank 34to a suitable storage facility. In the schematic diagram of FIG. 4, aconduit 57 is illustrated and is in communication with tank 34 and valve55. FIG. 4 also illustrates similar pump and valving arrangements fortransferring fuel and water with respect to the tanks 36 and 32 via thehoses 49 and 53.

Although the vessel 10 is shown configured as a SWATH type vessel it iscontemplated by the present invention that the hull design could alsocomprise an air cushion or surface effect type vessel, catamaran, aconventional displacement hull, a so-called deep V hull or another typewhich would be capable of high speed transit fully loaded in the opensea. The vessel should also have accommodations for a crew of three andten passengers for crew changes on the skimming or recovery vesselswhich are visited frequently by the vessel 10. Conventional, state ofthe art navigation and radio equipment would be also provided on boardthe vessel 10 A capacity to load and discharge in about fifteen minutesor less together with transit time of at least five miles in fifteenminutes, to support existing types of skimmers and other oil recoveryvessels is of the utmost importance.

Experience with recent, significant oil spills has indicated thatexisting skimmers and recovery vessels reach full capacity in two hoursor less. Moreover, discharging recovered oil from a conventional oilrecovery vessel is complicated by weather conditions, the question ofwhether or not the skimmer may be brought to the storage vessel or viceversa, due to water depth and crowded or inaccessible waterways, forexample, and whether or not certain types of skimmer gear such as sweepsor booms can be detached or stowed before the recovery vessel can bebrought alongside a larger storage vessel. Thanks to the provision of ahigh speed vessel like the lighter 10 together with its extensibleconduit support arm 38, which may be telescopically extended from eitherside of the vessel, and the significant storage capacity of the tank 34such a vessel can be an attractive and unique part of an oil spillrecovery operation.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described indetail herein, those skilled in the art will recognize that certainfeatures may be substituted for those described and shown withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit of the invention as recited in theappended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A high speed lighter for use in transferring oil,characterized by:a main hull including a storage tank for storing oil,said main hull being supported above the water plane on two spacedapart, submersible hulls; a propulsion motor in each of said submersiblehulls for propelling said lighter in the open ocean at speeds of atleast about 15 knots; conduit means on said lighter for receiving anddischarging oil from said storage tank, respectively; a pump on saidlighter including a discharge line for discharging oil through saidconduit means and for receiving oil through said conduit means,respectively; valve means for selectively connecting said discharge lineto said conduit means and to said storage tank, respectively; meansextensible from one or the other of opposite sides of said main hullcomprising a base part supported on said main hull and a telescoping armsupported on and pivotable about said base part, said telescoping armincluding means for supporting said conduit means for selectivelypositioning one end of said conduit means over one or the other of saidopposite sides of said main hull for receiving and discharging oil withrespect to said lighter; means for storing material on said lighter; anda crane supported on said main hull for loading and unloading saidmaterial with respect to said lighter.